Parents accused of locking son, daughter in room

WAKEFIELD, Neb. (AP) — A northeast Nebraska couple are accused of locking their children in a bedroom of their home and letting them out only to use a bathroom.

Dixon County Court documents say 54-year-old Patrick Henderson and 42-year-old Angel Henderson are charged with two counts of intentional child abuse. The records don’t list the name of an attorney who could comment for them. The children have been removed from their custody.

The documents say their son was 14 last year when he told an investigator that he and his 9-year-old sister were fed only lunch each day and allowed something to drink only when they finished their food. He said his mother would choke, kick or hit them if they managed to escape the room.

He also said they didn’t get any food if they didn’t finish their schoolwork. They were being home-schooled.